Ore no Haru
by hitokiri-tomoe
Summary: Souma Kana had forgotten about Souma Hatori. He should know. After all, he was the one who erased her memory. So why was she with him again? Completed
1. Unang Kabanata

**Disclaimer: **Fruits Basket, the Souma Clan, and Honda Tohru belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama. I live only to glorify Furuba.

**Ore no Haru**

_Unang Kabanata_

_By hitokiritomoe_

Souma Kana took a deep breath, resolutely squared her shoulders and knocked on the sliding door.

"Come in," a male voice called weakly from inside.

She hesitated. The voice that invited her in certainly was weak, but then there was an undertone of… _of what?_

"Come in, Kana-san," the voice said a bit more loudly.

_Spite_, she thought as she pushed the sliding door and entered the sparsely illuminated room. _And anger, and a heavy burden._

She saw a thin man leaning on the wall, wearing a _yukata_, his eyes searching the distance beyond the space above Souma Kana's left shoulder. Then his eyes met hers, and his lips curved into a smile. Kana took a step back. Somehow, the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Malevolence was the only emotion that seemed to register in those deep magenta eyes.

"Good afternoon, Kana-san,"

She clumsily went down on her knees and bowed down her head. "Akito-san."

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I do not have strength enough to open the windows. Would you do it for me, Kana-san? The room is so dark that I must be scaring you."

Kana went to the windows and opened one.

"That one window is enough," Akito said from his position, sitting on the floor behind her, "too many open windows will make me catch cold."

The room lightened considerably and as Kana turned around to face the master of the Souma Family, she felt somehow that everything looked… familiar. Beside her there was a low table and she somehow knew that there would be a rose pattern on the right side of it, away from her right now. She walked slowly towards the table. And there she saw it. The rose pattern. Tentatively, she reached out a hand—

"Kana-san?"

She quickly withdrew her hand and turned to face Akito.

"What's the matter?" his face grew concerned so that she felt guilty for thinking bad thoughts about him earlier.

_Déjà vu_. "N-nothing."

He smiled then, a smile that was so gentle she couldn't believe she ever thought him malevolent. "Come sit beside me, then."

She timidly took a step, and nervously sat down beside him.

"I rarely get new visitors," he said quietly.

She kept her head down as a sign of respect, not really knowing what to say.

"You are… getting married?"

She looked up then, and saw that his face had lost none of its sweetness. Thinking it was a go sign, she essayed a smile.

"Yes. In two months."

"Is that so? Are you… happy?" and here his eyes flashed, but only for a second that Kana didn't catch it, surprised as she was for being asked such a question.

"I…yes. I-I guess I am."

A long silence followed so that she thought her host had fallen asleep.

"A… ano, Akito-san?"

"Hmm?"

"I… I was wondering why I was called here all of a sudden? I… I didn't think you knew I even existed.

He laughed then. But there was no humor in his laughter. Each syllable felt like an ice shard going through her heart. She grew nervous.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Akito said once he stopped laughing. "I was so rude. I didn't tell you the reason for your being here."

He stood up and went to the window, leaning on the railing. Kana faced his back, still sitting, her heart thumping in her chest. Something wasn't right.

"The truth is… I have a favor to ask of you."

When she didn't say anything, he continued.

"Hatori. He needs an assistant. You are going to be that assistant for the next two months before your wedding."

"A…ano—"

"That is all. You may go."

"Yes."

She turned to go, but before she could close the door after her, Akito's voice floated out after her.

"Kana-san?"

She turned to him. Now there was no mistaking the malice in his eyes. She took a step back, and her back pressed against the half-opened door.

"Thank you for coming to visit me again."

oOo

"I'm back!" Honda Tohru called as she entered Shigure's house.

"Welcome back," Shigure greeted her with his usual smile.

"Ah! Hatori-san!"

Hatori looked up as he was about to sip his tea. He nodded. "Honda-kun."

"I'm home," Souma Yuki followed, and his violet eyes traced where Tohru had her eyes fixed.

"Yuki," Hatori said in greeting.

"Hatori."

"A… ano," Tohru took Yuki's hand suddenly and led him upstairs, "we have to put our things in our rooms first."

"Where's Kyou-kun?" Shigure suddenly asked.

"He lost a bet against Uo-chan and he told us to go ahead without him," Tohru explained quickly, still half-dragging Yuki upstairs.

"Aaah, these kids should be careful, you never know when an accident might happen."

"That girl…" Hatori cut in, lighting a cigarette.

oOo

"Ne, Honda-san, what's the matter?" Yuki asked when they got upstairs.

"Ano… for a moment," Tohru explained, facing Yuki, "I… I thought I saw that Hatori-san wanted to talk to Shigure-san alone."

Yuki smiled at that. "Honda-san, you always seem to know…"

oOo

"…what's going on with all of us," Hatori finished and took a drag on his cigarette.

"Tohru-kun," a smile touched Shigure's lips, "is so cute."

"That sounds so wrong, coming from you," Hatori replied, his face straight.

"Maa, maa, you didn't come to me just to talk about cute high school girls, did you?"

Hatori didn't say anything.

"Or did you? Why, Ha-san, I didn't know you were like that! In all those years, you never let on!" Shigure's eyes sparkled as he took out his fan.

"Idiot."

"This is a cause for celebration—"

"Shut up."

"I must call Aya-cha and tell him—"

"One wrong move and the publishing industry will know of the time when we were in 9th grade and you **beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep**."

Three minutes of silence.

"Mean," the Dog said in a small voice, his eyes overflowing with tears.

Hatori sipped his tea as if nothing happened.

"But you couldn't have come here without a reason. Unless, of course, you wish to see me that much," he brought his face close to his childhood friend's.

"Shi. Gu. Re." A look of danger flashed in Hatori's eyes and the dog was immediately chastised.

Hatori crushed his cigarette and said two syllables.

"Kana."

Shigure searched his face for any sign of feeling. There were none, as usual.

"I heard she's getting married in the next two months. A doctor from outside, they say," he said nonchalantly, casting side-long looks at his friend. Hatori didn't even blink.

"I dreamed about her." His fist clenched at his side.

"About everything." His other hand went to his injured eye.

"Again. After a long time," he turned to Shigure, "what do you make of that?"

Shigure shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe it's a reaction to her getting married."

"Maybe." He stood up.

"You're leaving?"

In answer, he put on his coat.

"But, Tohru-kun is going to be disappointed—"

At that point Tohru went down from the stairs and saw Hatori in his coat.

"Ha-san, you can't leave when Tohru-kun's about to cook you a meal, and the Main House is so far—" Shigure tried reasoning with him when the phone began to ring.

"Ah, I'll get it," Shigure said in a resigned voice," Tohru-kun, convince him to stay for dinner. He loves your cooking, but he won't admit it."

The Dog winked at her before stepping towards the phone.

Hatori was looking at her.

"Ano," Tohru began, "Hatori-san, you don't have to leave yet. Stay for—"

"Ha-san!" Shigure interrupted from the living room, "It's your servant of 58 years."

"Tell him I'm coming home anyway."

"But he says he needs to talk to you right now."

Hatori sighed in exasperation and took off his coat. "I'll get it."

"Does this mean you're staying for dinner, too?" Shigure quipped from behind him.

"No."

"How can you dash my hopes so casually?" he cried dramatically.

Hatori just kept on walking and picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Ha-san, you're so cold," Shigure extrapolated, "here, Tohru-kun's going to pour her whole heart in cooking a delicious meal and you—you! Oh, I can't say it!"

He took out a tissue and blew his nose.

Tohru looked aghast. "N-no, it's really okay if Hatori-san doesn't want to—"

"W-what?" Hatori's shocked voice cut all noise inside the house.

The phone's receiver slipped out of his hand and clattered loudly as it hit the floor. He put his right hand on the wall to support himself. His left hand went to his blind eye. His good eye was a cloud of disbelief. Yuki had just come down and only saw the phone drop.

"Ha… san?" he took a step towards the young man but Shigure beat him to it.

"Hatori! What's wrong?" he demanded, placing his hands on the doctor's shoulders, all mischief gone from his demeanor now.

Hatori shook off his friend's hands and headed for the door, picking up his coat along the way. He went out without a word.

Tohru looked as though he might faint. "W-what just happened?"

Shigure picked up the phone and started dialing. "Hai. This is Souma Shigure… Yes, he just left… I see… Can you tell me…? Yes… I see."

He put back the receiver in its cradle and looked at the two expectant faces looking at him.

"She's back." Shigure looked out the window, a painful smile touching his lips.

"Akito… sent Kana-san back."

oOo

Hatori stopped the engine outside his house. He put his head on the steering wheel and ran a hand through his hair. _This isn't real. This is just… another aspect of my recurring dreams._

"_Kana-san is here to see you. She said she was sent by Akito-san."_

He heard his servant clearly. But it still didn't seem real. He gripped the steering wheel, grit his teeth. _It isn't real. It's your mind making up things to torment you_.

_Kana-san is here._

The words kept repeating in his mind, like a mantra gone wrong.

…_sent by Akito-san._

…_Akito-san._

_Akito._ His head suddenly snapped up. _What is he up to?_

oOo

_What is he up to?_

Shigure kept thinking to himself as he ran all the way to the Souma Main House. He rushed to the house, not bothering to take off his _geta_. He reached the door to Akito's room and was about to open it when one of the few maids of the house emerged from it. She locked the door as she went out.

"What are you doing?" he demanded in a voice made loud by the tumult in his head.

"Ah. Sorry," the girl blushed. "The Master is sick and cannot accept visitors now."

The girl walked away as Shigure banged on the door.

"Akito!" he bellowed through the thin sliding doors.

"Akito! What are you doing? What do you think you're doing?"

There was only silence from the other side of the door.

"Akito! I'm not leaving until you explain this to me! Akito!" he shouted as he banged his fists on the door, already thinking of breaking it down.

"Ano…" the girl was back and she spoke in a reprimanding tone, "the doctor said he shouldn't be disturbed in any way. He needs his rest. He gets even more difficult if deprived of rest."

From inside the room, loud, wrenching coughs could be heard.

"Now look what you've done," she said, not bothering to be respectful anymore. "Now we'd have to send for Hatori-san!"

The girl dashed off for the telephone.

_But you aren't going to call the doctor_, Shigure thought.

The coughing continued from inside.

But Shigure could have sworn it wasn't coughing he heard, but laughter.

_To be continued…_


	2. Pangalawang Kabanata

**Disclaimer: **Fruits Basket, the Souma Clan, and Honda Tohru belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama. I live only to glorify Furuba.

**Ore no Haru**

_Pangalawang Kabanata_

_By hitokiri-tomoe_

Souma Kana had been waiting for an hour now.

The old servant had immediately called Hatori upon her arrival, but it seems as though the doctor had chosen to spend more time outside rather than attend to a waiting guest.

She held down feelings of indignation as she sat in the living room, her baggage piled beside her on the couch. When she arrived at her apartment she found everything packed. Apparently, Akito wanted her to live with the doctor while she was being his assistant. She sighed in frustration.

What was all the fuss over her becoming an assistant for Hatori-sensei again? Why did Akito-san, Master of the House himself, go through the trouble of telling her personally? And why did she have to live here, too, with the day of her marriage so close? She sighed inwardly at the thought of how her fiancé would react. The last time she had an apartment nearby. Why can't she do that now? And why—

"I'm home," a deep male voice called out from the front door.

"Welcome back," the servant's voice answered. "Kana-san is in the living room."

Slow footsteps could be heard coming towards the living room.

_Well he certainly is taking his time_, she thought crossly to herself as she stood up to greet him.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Souma Hatori was now standing before her, his tall frame blocking her view of the door, his face, as usual, unreadable.

She didn't realize she was holding her breath. She let it out slowly, all her anger draining away from her as she studied the young man before her. She tilted her head and smiled.

"Hatori-sensei. It's been awhile."

It struck her then how handsome he was. In her internship days she was always being teased by friends about how it would be so nice if she and Hatori started dating. All the comments about how handsome the young doctor is suddenly came back to her, and she realized they were all true. All true. Even though the doctor's left eye is injured now and is always covered with his long bangs, it only served to heighten his aura of mystery and made him even more attractive.

But nothing had happened between them. Her time with him then was so uneventful she can't even remember half of it.

"I take it you are staying here as well," his quiet voice interrupted her improper thoughts.

She flushed in embarrassment, both for her line of thinking and for feeling that she was imposing on him. "I'm sorry, but Akito-san—"

"The servant will fix a room for you, then," he went on as if she hadn't said anything.

She could only stare as he walked out of the room without saying anything else.

oOo

_She has changed_, Hatori thought to himself as he sat at his desk later that night, smoking a cigarette.

There seemed to be a more somber air about her, quite different from when they were together. It's as if that when she left him, she had been hounded by problems and she was forced to let go of that childlike innocence she always had about her. It was almost as if she were unhappy. Almost as if… she remembers.

_No, no_. He shook his head, flicking off ashes from his cigarette. _Stop kidding yourself. She forgot about you. YOU made her forget about you, about that time, about everything. And you did it so thoroughly, using stronger hypnotism. So that there would never be a chance of her remembering. But then there never really was._

Even if he didn't purposefully strengthen the hypnotism. There never really was any need to strengthen it. He just did so because… he really wanted to heal Kana. If he could have erased his very existence from Kana's memories he would have done so. But that wasn't what was hurting her. It was their memories together that hurt her. And Akito said that he wouldn't solve anything by overdoing it. So he followed Akito's explicit orders, although he wanted to make Kana forget his name. But maybe the desire to erase himself from Kana's mind wasn't for her at all. Maybe it was for himself. If Kana forgot everything about him… his name, his face, then maybe… just maybe… he could forget about her as well.

_It clearly isn't working_. He crushed his cigarette on the ashtray and stood up. But that smile, he recalled wistfully, was the old Kana he knew. When she tilted her head and smiled like that, all the memories came rushing back in a flash, that for a moment he felt that he went back in time, and that the Souma Kana who stood before him earlier was the Souma Kana he knew back in those internship days. His Kana. His Spring.

_Ah, what are you doing getting all sappy so late at night_, he laughed bitterly to himself. _It's over. You ended it. And even she's back in your life once again, even if for a short period of time only… she isn't yours anymore. She shouldn't even have been yours from the beginning. It was a mistake. And you've already corrected it._ He sighed as he lay down on the bed.

_Don't make the same mistake again_, he thought as he closed his eyes and surprisingly, slept the sleep of the innocent.

oOo

Souma Kyo groaned aloud as he sat up from his spot on the roof. He could hear Shigure's yapping even from his position and it was irritating him to no end. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Below he could hear Shigure's companion giving one word replies and the Dog himself getting all happy-happy.

Hatori. He has been visiting them everyday for more than a week now. Kyo would go home from school and find him sitting in front of the common room table either sipping coffee or tea or smoking. He had no idea why the Dragon would endure being with Shigure everyday. But the two are childhood friends, so what does he know?

Two days ago he had made the mistake of complaining about Hatori's frequent visits in front of Tohru, to which the girl only got a starry-eyed look and told him that someone important to the Dragon is staying with him for awhile.

_"Huh? Someone important? I seem to remember that Hatori once had a girlfriend."_

_He thought about this for awhile._

_"Idiot," the Rat cut in when it was clear that he was getting nowhere. "She means Kana-san."_

_"Who are you calling stupid, kuso nezumi!" he flared up._

_The Rat didn't even look at him, "Who else? It can't be Honda-san, so it must be you."_

He growled. Remembering the conversation wasn't helping his temper. He leaned on the roof and crossed his hands behind his head. He stared up at the sky and tried to ignore his older cousin who was now singing below. Singing? He couldn't believe Hatori was putting up with all of this. And if Kana is living with him right now, what the heck is he doing here, giving the Dog reason to be all jolly-jolly? It almost seems as though he's avoiding the girl. Well, he knows of what happened between them, but then if Hatori really loved Kana, shouldn't he being doing all he can to get her back?

He frowned. _Well, it's not as if I'm an expert on the subject_. He grimaced as he sat up once more; reaching into his pocket for the earplugs Tohru gave him yesterday. Shigure's singing in falsetto now and he was decidedly off-key. As he put the earplugs on, he suddenly noticed a woman walking towards the house. For a moment, he thought it was Mitchan; by the way she was resolutely walking, looking as though she had a difficult mission to fulfill.

_Wait_, he thought as he turned to look at the figure more closely, _had Mitchan bleached her hair?_

He waited until the woman came into full view. His eyes widened. He knew that face. He'd seen it before, in the doctor's waiting room.

"Souma… Kana?" he half-whispered to himself.

oOo

Shigure wept into his fan. Tohru had a dazed expression on her face. Yuki had watched everything with seeming impassiveness. Kyo just looked dumbfounded.

"They were so rude," Shigure sniffled, "They didn't even stay for dinner."

"But," Tohru said with the same dazed expression, "Souma Kana-san is so pretty!"

"Pretty or not, she still stole Ha-san from me. And I was getting to the good part of my story!"

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" was Kyo's bewildered reaction.

"Well, you see, Kyo-kun, I was telling Ha-san the story about the medieval knight and his lady love, as I had written in _Blooms of Love above Still Waters_," Shigure, purposefully misunderstanding, launched his narrative, "On the night of their wedding, they went upstairs to their… eh? What's wrong with all of you?"

His two cousins had murderous glints in their eyes while Tohru merely looked confused.

"Pervert," the Rat and the Cat dropped the syllables at the same time.

"Ah, it's probably all for the best," Yuki mused aloud, after several seconds have passed.

"Those two," Shigure said, now serious, "Have a lot of things to talk about."

"What the heck is going on?" Kyo demanded brashly.

"Oh, would you like to know what happened to the knight and the lady, Kyo-kun?"

"Shut up!"

oOo

Hatori turned the engine off and the next thing he knew, Kana had scurried out of the minivan and was waving at him from the front door. She had an impish, though slightly apologetic, smile on her face. He followed her to the door.

_"I'm just here to take a certain doctor home,"_ he heard her say to Tohru after introducing herself.

He had gone out to meet her, apologizing to Tohru. The girl had shrugged it off and just then exchanged a smile with Kana, as if they were up to something.

He shook his head. The idea of Honda Tohru being 'up to something' was simply absurd.

"What are you smiling to yourself about?" Kana asked, giving him an amused look. She didn't wait for an answer but instead turned around and unlocked the door.

He stepped into the house after her and noticed the lack of greeting from anyone in the house.

"Hatori-sensei," Kana's voice floated out from the dining room.

Not having anything else to do, he went to the dining room and found Kana behind the counter, preparing tea.

"Sit," she said in a commanding tone when Hatori arrived, but softened the command with a winning smile.

Completely taken aback, Hatori did as he was told, and this resulted in Kana's smile getting wider and his growing unease about the whole situation stronger.

He didn't know what to make of this… this kidnapping. As far as he knew, he had been avoiding contact with this woman as much as possible, without having to forego his duties as a doctor. He only talked to her when necessary, and didn't eat meals with her. He made it a point not to be around when she's around so that to him, it hardly seemed she was living in his house. He always went to see Shigure so he wouldn't be home until after dinner, when she would either be asleep or just in her room. He wasn't friendly with her. So why was she smiling that sweet Kana smile that only she has? Why does she look the way she did when they were still together? He bowed his head and clamped his left hand over his injured eye. His heart threatened to jump out of his chest any minute now.

She sat down opposite him and served him tea. He only looked at it.

"Relax, I didn't put anything in it. It's just an ordinary, innocent cup of tea."

He continued to stare at the cup as if it were the most interesting thing in the room.

"Hatori… sensei?" she reached out a hand to prod him, but before her hand could connect to his shoulder, he was out of his stupor and had already lit a cigarette.

"Where's Kazuya?" was all he could think of to say, referring to the old servant who usually kept the house. He needed anything to divert his attention now. His head was still spinning from the thought of contact with Kana. He wouldn't be able to bear it. He couldn't. He took a drag out of his cigarette and held it in for as long as possible, relying on the nicotine to calm his nerves.

Kana took a sip of her tea and set the cup down carefully before speaking. She did, however, look at him straight in the face so he was forced to meet her eyes.

"I sent him away."

A coughing fit attacked him as the smoke he was holding in went in different directions. Then Kana was instantly by his side, a glass of water in one hand, the other rubbing his back. The unexpected contact eased his coughing at once, and instead of taking the glass of water offered him, he instead took a sip of tea. He cleared his throat and crushed the offensive cigarette on the ashtray always on the edge of the table.

The woman was sitting across from him again as though nothing happened. _Good girl_. He sighed to himself.

"Tell me. What is going on?" he said in a voice deliberately edged with ice.

But instead of being cowed by his coldness, he gave him a big grin. Even then she had never been afraid of him. She had been able to see through his icy exterior even at the beginning and now she was doing it again.

"Hatori-sensei, don't be angry with me. I only did it out of desperation," she held up a hand as if to ward off any negative remarks he would hurl in her direction.

"Don't waste words with me," he tried again in the same cold voice. This time, it did have an effect. He saw her flinch, only a little, but then instantly she was smiling again. He gave himself a mental kick. The image of Kana flinching made him want to wrap her in his arms, and it was taking all his self-control not to do just that.

"Ano," she broke into his thoughts, her face now a bit more serious.

"Speak," he said in a more gentle tone and he saw her relax instantly. This made him want to kick himself again. This is too much for him to handle. He didn't want to see her hurt, he didn't want to see her smiling like that either. What exactly did he want?

_He wanted to be close to her, to wrap her in his embrace, to stroke her hair, her cheeks. He wanted those lips to smile for him, to let him know that she loved him. He wanted—_

"Shit," he muttered under his breath.

"Hatori-sensei," Kana said. She had apparently been absorbed in her own thoughts as well, so had not noticed the whispered cursing.

His eyes had been wandering over the small dining room but the sound of her voice forced him to focus on her.

"Don't hate me!" she burst out.

He closed his eyes for a moment. He was surprised, although externally nothing showed. _If you only knew…_

When he didn't speak, her hopes flickered for a moment, but she went on.

"I… I don't know if I've done anything wrong, but… when I was an intern, you weren't as cold as you are to me now. You used to smile at me, I remember that now, although I don't really remember anything else."

_Good._

"But now, it's been a week, and you won't even look at me, and you're always away. Somehow, I don't feel welcome here. I… I feel hated."

_What is this woman thinking?_

"So I sent Kazuya-san away, hoping we'd have time alone together, to… get to know each other. Even if I'll be staying her for less than two months from now, I want us to be friends."

_Friends. How casually you say the word._

She stood up suddenly. "So… so, Hatori-sensei, don't… don't hate me, please. I'm trying hard. I've been asking, and I made your tea just the way Kazuya-san said you like it. Is it too sweet? Too cold?"

He sighed. "Kana-san."

She sat back down, suddenly seeming to remember that she was a guest and she was talking to the master of the house. "Yes?"

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking.

"I don't hate you."

_That's right. I don't hate you. That's the problem._

A smile spread across her face. "I'm glad."

And seeing that smile, he couldn't help but smile slightly, too.

"Then," she said softly, the smile still on her face, "would you try to like me, too?"

_I'm trying not to like you._

He finished his tea and stood up.

"We'll see," he answered. He turned towards the door.

"Hatori-sensei!"

He paused.

"If you don't promise to like me, I won't call Kazuya-san back, and you'll be forced to eat my cooking for seven weeks!"

_Well, that's not so bad_, he caught himself thinking and this time he didn't even bother to scold himself.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked in a voice full of endearment, as he stepped out the dining room.

He wasn't sure if she heard or not.

He didn't care.

_To be continued…_


	3. Ikatlong Kabanata

**Disclaimer: **Fruits Basket, the Souma Clan and Honda Tohru belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama. I live only to glorify Furuba.

**Ore no Haru**

_Ikatlong Kabanata_

_By hitokiri-tomoe_

The incessant ringing of the alarm clock jolted Hatori awake.

For the first time in ages, he actually felt refreshed. He had long treated sleep as just another way to pass the time, but now it seemed to have done its purpose, so that Hatori felt that he could face this long day ahead of him. He glanced around the room until… _10:00?_

He looked at the clock accusingly and sighed in sudden irritation. _Who else could have done it?_

He placed his feet on the carpeted floor and stood up. And although he was still irritated, he couldn't help but smile a nostalgic smile.

_She used to do this randomly, too_, he thought as he opened the shower faucet and let the warm water wake him up.

She would sneak into his house, adjust his alarm clock to a later time, get breakfast ready and wait for him to wake up. When he goes down, she would be sitting at the table, reading the paper, a mug of steaming coffee beside her. He would find the windows he normally kept shut open, letting the sunlight in. Then she would look up from her paper and smile at him innocently. No, she never looked apologetic for letting him sleep in at all. She would then greet him, inform him that she was the one who adjusted the alarm. She would say that he looked particularly stressed the night before so she thought he needed the rest. Then she'd tell—command—him to sit and she would serve him breakfast, all the while smiling that innocent smile of hers.

_"Now, don't we look just like husband and wife?"_ she would quip, making him blush. Then she would laugh. At Souma Hatori. And he didn't mind.

That was one thing about Kana. She was the only one who can make him blush and laugh at him and actually get away with it.

He turned off the faucet and reached for a towel. He wrapped the towel around his waist and went to his closet.

_I wonder_, he though as he pulled on a shirt, _When I go downstairs, would she be reading the paper, and would she look up and smile at me the same way as before?_

He finished dressing and went out the door. He couldn't help smiling to himself.

_Only one way to find out._

oOo

When he saw her it almost seemed as it was before.

He saw the prepared breakfast on the kitchen counter. The late morning light from the open windows played with her hair, forming a halo around her head. The steaming mug of coffee was right there at her elbow. But it was not the morning paper she was reading.

"Ara?" she looked up from the bridal magazine she was flipping through and smiled that innocent smile.

"Good morning, Hatori-sensei," she put down the magazine.

The smile instantly faded from his face. Her smile… it was the same, but now it all just seemed so wrong.

_Idiot_, he berated himself, _You had no right to expect that it would be the same._

Kana's smile wavered a little when she saw the doctor's sudden change of expression. One minute he was smiling and the next he looked forbidding. Nevertheless, she put the smile back on her face, secretly daring him to be angry.

"I adjusted your alarm," she addressed the now frozen Hatori, "I thought it would refresh you if you slept in a little. Besides, no one's bound to get sick this time. It's spring."

_Spring_. The word succeeded in animating him. He forced himself to maintain a passive expression. He went to the table and sat down opposite her, all the while fighting the urge to take the magazine in his hands and tear it apart.

Meanwhile, Kana had already put his breakfast in front of him and sat looking at him with an expectant expression.

He tore his eyes off the magazine and picked up his chopsticks.

"Let's eat."

He took one bite then suddenly realized he didn't feel like eating. Kana watched him pick at his food with a mournful expression.

"It isn't any good, is it?" she pouted.

He looked up from his meal. He realized he didn't feel like reassuring her either.

He shrugged, "It's okay."

"Shinbo tells me I'm no good at cooking," she said with an amused smile.

"I'm done," he put down his chopsticks. He realized his hands were trembling. He stood up and went to the door.

"Kana-san."

She had been following him with her gaze, an unreadable expression evident on her face.

"Yes?"

"We're going to the clinic now."

oOo

Kana stole glances at Hatori the whole time he was mending the Souma child's wound. The boy had fallen off a tree while playing and although nothing was broken, his wound was pretty deep. The child couldn't stop crying.

Hatori, oblivious to the child's pain, expertly wrapped gauze on the child's left leg.

Kana sighed to herself. _What went wrong again?_

When Hatori came down for breakfast, she could have sworn she saw him smiling out of the corner of her eye, but when she did look at him, she saw only coldness in those eyes. And just now, when they took the three minute walk to the clinic, he said not one word to her. She though that after last night's episode, the doctor would actually try to be nicer. Apparently not.

She saw the Souma child hobbling out the door, his tear-stained face still red and puffy. She went to the boy and gave him her most winning smile. She offered him a hand.

"I'm Souma Kana. What's your name?"

The boy looked at Kana, puzzled, then offered a shy smile, "Akira."

"Ne, Akira-kun, I'll help you out of the clinic."

Akira took Kana's hand and she helped him limp out of the clinic. When they were outside the boy let go of her hand and looked up at her, still smiling shyly.

"Oneesan."

"Yes?" Kana kneeled before the boy so that they were almost the same height.

"Hatori-san must be really lucky, always being around you."

"Huh?" Kana was taken aback by that.

The boy now beamed at her, "If I were Hatori-san, I would marry you!"

She couldn't help but laugh at this unabashed declaration. On impulse, she embraced the boy.

"Thanks for making me feel better about myself," she let go of the boy who was now blushing madly, "Now go home and take care of your wound."

Regaining his composure, the boy once again beamed at her and started for home.

She stood up and turned towards the clinic, a smile on her face. The smile suddenly disappeared when she saw that Hatori was leaning on the doorframe. He had clearly seen the exchange, though his expression was as usual, cold.

"Get new bandages in the cabinet," was all he said as he turned to go inside.

She sighed, closed her eyes, and a hand through her short ash-blond hair. When she opened her light brown eyes, there was a spark of determination in them.

_Hatori-sensei might be cold now_, she thought as she entered the clinic and went to the cabinets, _But I have to befriend him. I'm not giving up just yet._

She opened one cabinet and she didn't know what exactly happened, but everything just went down. All the cabinet's contents—medicine bottles, bandage boxes, cotton—and her.

_I can't believe it! Now what would Hatori-sensei say now?_

"Are you alright?" Hatori's concerned voice made its way to her consciousness.

Ah! It's all over now! She couldn't face Hatori now! It would just be too mortifying! She can imagine the stern reprimanding tone his voice would assume while he tells her how incompetent she was. And here she was trying—

_Wait. Didn't I hear Hatori-sensei speak just now?_

"Kana-san," and she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

_And he didn't sound angry… at all._

Slowly, she turned her face to meet his.

To her complete surprise, he didn't look forbidding at all. He was, in fact, smiling. It was a gentle, loving smile, the kind of smile that a person reserves for a sweetheart.

_Kana! What are you thinking!_

She felt her face growing hot but she couldn't turn away from him. It was the first time she saw him smile like this but oddly, that expression was somehow familiar.

_And so right._

"Still clumsy, as usual," he said in that quiet voice of his, not taking his eyes off her.

"As… usual?" she managed to whisper.

That seemed to break the spell.

Abruptly, the doctor stood up, and his impassive expression returned. And although nothing registered on his face, his stance seemed to convey that he was displeased about something.

"Pick those up," he ordered curtly before walking out of the room.

Kana looked at the spot where, only a few seconds before, quite a different Hatori had shown himself to her.

She smiled to herself and got up.

_If he has a side like that_, she thought as she began picking up the things she dropped, _Then it won't be that hard to make him like me._

oOo

Kana yawned as she flipped through pages of possible wedding gown styles. For some reason, she hadn't really felt like planning her wedding since a week ago, when she had met Akira and had decided that she wasn't going to give up on Hatori.

_Well, not that he has anything to do with my lack of interest._

She closed the magazine she was trying to read, leaned back on her chair and rested her cheek on her hand. Her eyes rested on the doctor, who was sitting across from her, a paperback novel on one hand, a cigarette on the other. He seemed to have forgotten about his cigarette, though, as it was slowly burning up between his fingers. She allowed herself a small smile. When he was absorbed in something, he didn't look scary at all.

As if sensing her eyes on him, he looked up from his novel. Kana's gaze and smile didn't even waver. They looked at each other for a few seconds.

"What?" Hatori finally asked, small frown creasing his forehead.

"Nothing," she replied without missing a single beat, not taking her eyes off him.

"GOOOOD MOOORNING!" Shigure suddenly called out as he entered the room.

Kana suddenly blushed as she realized how the scene must look to an outsider. Hatori had already assumed that poker faced expression.

Shigure snickered as he surveyed the two. He clasped his hands together and gave a dreamy sigh, "Now, don't you just look like husband and wife?"

Kana couldn't help it. She grew a deeper shade of red.

"This looks like a scene from _Winter of Love_ (now available on paperback)," Shigure gushed as he scuttled over to Hatori and nudged him with his elbow, "Ne, Ha-san, was I interrupting, you know, something?"

"I will not even honor that with a reply," Hatori said, putting down his paperback on the coffee table. A vein visibly throbbed on his forehead.

"Ano, Shigure-san…"

"Ah, Kana-san! You are still so pretty, it's a wonder Ha-san hasn't—"

"Shigure," now Hatori's voice sounded positively threatening.

"Shigure-san," Kana tried again.

"How did he even get here?" Hatori spoke loudly to himself.

"Ah, Ha-san," Shigure began dramatically, "I was on my way to see Akito on your account when I saw your house and I thought that I simply could not resist taking a peek at you two lovebirds and see how you, Ha-san, are taking domestic bliss, with such a cute wife as Kana-san—"

"Eh?" Kana exclaimed with widened eyes.

"Moron."

"—and so I came here and I found that the door was unlocked so…"

He paused.

"Here I am."

"What was that pause for?" Kana couldn't help asking.

"Ne, Ha-san, how have you been faring?"

"I was faring well until you came along."

"Shigure-san."

"Yes, Kana-san?" Shigure answered sweetly.

"Ano… would you like some tea?"

He grinned at her, "Why yes, I would love that!"

Kana stepped out of the living room. As soon as she was out of hearing, Shigure turned serious.

"You seem to be taking it well," he remarked as he sat down near Hatori.

Hatori only shrugged as he crushed his cigarette, and lit another one.

"You know, I was really on my way to see Akito. I wanted to ask him… why… he is doing this to you."

His childhood friend just blew out smoke and still didn't say anything.

"But… I was also thinking… maybe Akito's giving you… an opportunity?"

"That's impossible," Hatori stated flatly.

Shigure hung his head, "Ah, I guess you're right. But still…"

His voice trailed off.

"What is it, Shigure?"

He looked up then, determination in his eyes, "No matter what happens, don't let her go now. It doesn't matter that she's getting married! This is your chance, Ha-san, and it may be your last chance to be truly happy! Don't waste it! Don't. Let her. Go."

Shigure was breathing hard. He had spoken with such intensity, that Hatori himself was surprised.

"Shigure," he addressed his cousin, his gaze wandering to the kitchen, where Kana was preparing tea, "It isn't my happiness that counts. If she isn't happy, I'm not going to be. And that's that."

Shigure gave his cousin and childhood friend a despairing look. He sighed, shook his head and stood up.

"Well, I'm off to find you what Akito's up to," he walked towards the door.

"What about tea?"

He paused and turned his head to look at Hatori.

"You drink it. She's your wife, not mine," he joked with a wan smile before stepping out the room, and closing the door behind him.

oOo

Shigure had been kneeling on the floor for a good thirty minutes now. The Master of the House had yet to acknowledge his presence. Right now, his back was turned to hi, and he seemed to be more preoccupied with making friends with the birds.

"So, Shigure… what did you come to see me for?" he asked in a slow drawl, his back still turned.

"I wanted to know why you sent Kana-san back," he replied without ado, his gaze steely.

Akito laughed his harsh laugh, "It's a secret."

He turned to face his visitor.

"Relax… I didn't do it to hurt him… although… he may get hurt in the process…"

He gave another laugh, stood up and waved Shigure away, telling him that his audience was over.

"I just want to find out something."

_To be continued…_


	4. Ikaapat na Kabanata

**Disclaimer: **Fruits Basket, the Souma Clan and Honda Tohru all belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama. I live only to glorify Furuba.

**Ore no Haru**

_Ika-apat na Kabanata_

_By hitokiri-tomoe_

_This is your chance, Ha-san, and it may be your last chance to be truly happy._

The words kept ringing in Hatori's ear as he sat at the dining table across from Kana. They were silently eating the breakfast that Kazuya had prepared. The servant had returned to serve them a week ago.

He regretted the servant's being back. He had gotten used to seeing Kana first thing in the morning, preparing their breakfast. Although she wasn't as good a cook as Tohru, she always tried hard, and no matter what she prepared, it didn't really matter to him, as long as she sat across from him as they ate it. He had learned some time ago that it was useless to fight against his feelings and Kana's persistence to make friends with him, so he had given up trying to be aloof. Since then, the two of them have spent the days together in tranquility that was almost like domestic bliss… if only they were married.

_And we're not_, he reminded himself sternly as his gaze wandered to the calendar hanging on the wall behind his female companion.

_It's a month before her wedding_, he thought gloomily as he heard Shigure's voice again.

"Why do you look so down?" Kana suddenly asked,

He looked her straight in the eye and lied, "I'm not."

She chuckled, "Okay, okay, you don't have to be so scary if you don't want to talk about it."

He didn't say anything and instead concentrated on his breakfast.

"Come to think of it," she continued, a thoughtful look crossing her face, "you never really talk much."

His response was a soft grunt.

"But," she smiled at him, "even though I know so little about you, I feel so secure with you."

He looked away. Really, aside from the atmosphere about her, she really hasn't changed much.

_She's still so cheerful._

"I feel as if I can tell you anything, as if I can trust you."

_Still so open._

"Why is that, Hatori-sensei?"

_Lovable._

He shrugged, "You're too trusting."

She ignored the condescending tone by which he stated the sentence and instead smiled at him sweetly. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Kana-san?" Kazuya peered into the dining room.

"Yes?" she responded, still looking sweetly at Hatori's impassive face.

"There's a phone call for you from a Minekuwara-san."

Hatori didn't miss Kana's sharp intake of breath and her face suddenly growing pale.

"Excuse me," she gave him a forced smile as she got up, "It's my fiancé."

"It's about time he called," the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She bowed her head. "You're right. He never called me earlier. He was probably just busy."

With that she walked out towards the living room.

He watched her go, feeling like a heel. Once again, he heard Shigure telling him not to let her go. And then he heard his own response:

_If she isn't happy, I'm not going to be._

But right now, even if she got a call from her fiancé, she certainly didn't look happy.

oOo

Minekuwara Shinbo smiled as he saw his fiancée get off a taxi. He waved at her and she approached him slowly, looking wan.

"Kana, what's wrong?"

The young woman suddenly seemed to realize where she was. Slowly, a smile formed on her face.

"Shinbo," she said in greeting.

He gave her a gentle smile as he placed an arm around her shoulders and walked her to a nearby café.

"Are you tired?"

He was concerned that his wife-to-be's new work plus all the preparations for their wedding was getting to be too much for her.

They sat at a table near the window, so that they could see everyone passing by. Kana always liked observing people. But this time his fiancée didn't seem interested. True, she was looking out to the street, but clearly her mind was elsewhere.

He ordered café au lait for the two of them and looked at his companion.

"Kana?"

Startled out of her thoughts, Kana shook herself, "Yes?"

"Are you sick or something?"

"No," she said a little bit too quickly.

"Well," Shinbo shrugged, "I was thinking, we really ought to have a garden wedding. I know how much you like nature, so I think you would like it. I was also thinking green and cream as the motif. And guitar music. I'm sure you'd find it romantic. It would be great—"

"Ano… Shinbo," Kana suddenly interrupted.

"Yes?" he was suddenly all concern.

"I think I… I feel a bit dizzy, after all."

"Would you like me to take you to a doctor?" he asked, worry etched on his face. He had apparently forgotten that he himself was a doctor.

She suddenly smiled at that, as though she found something amusing at what he said.

"No, I'll be alright. I think I should go home…"

_Home?_ He raised an eyebrow but she wasn't looking at him.

He shook himself. _Of course she's speaking figuratively._

He glanced at his watch and swore.

"I forgot, I have a meeting at the hospital today," he said as he stood up and placed some bills on the table, "I'm already late. Can you go to Hatori-san's house by yourself?"

She nodded, her head still bowed.

He kissed her on the cheek and turned her face to meet his.

"I love you," he whispered softly.

She nodded again and gave him a weak smile.

He left a troubled-looking Kana sitting alone in the café.

oOo

Tohru had just finished grocery shopping. She shifted the bags she was carrying as she walked through the streets downtown.

Yuki had volunteer work for the student council and Kyo had been nowhere in sight so no one was able to accompany her. She wasn't holding grudges. She was already lucky for being allowed to stay in Shigure's house.

She was most definitely tired and yearned only to reach home where Yuki and the others are sure to be waiting, but as she neared the café doors, a female figure emerged from it. All thoughts of home fled from Honda Tohru's mind as she saw who it was.

"Kana-san."

The woman turned her amber eyes at her and smiled, "Honda-san."

oOo

They had returned to the café that Kana just stepped out of, and now were seated in a more private part of the establishment.

"I'm sorry to have imposed on you," Kana apologized to her younger companion.

"A-ano," Tohru quickly protested, waving her arms, "That—it's not necessary. It's not a burden at all! I wanted to get to know you also, so…"

Kana smiled, "I'm glad."

She turned away and looked at the other people in the café. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

"Honda-san," she finally broke the silence.

"Yes?"

She turned to look at the customers again, and spoke in a quiet voice, "I saw my fiancé today."

Tohru was silent, apparently sensing that the young woman had more to say.

"He was as sweet as ever. I haven't seen him, nor heard from him in a month. During that time, I was in Hatori-sensei's house, and he only got to call me today."

She paused, sipping her coffee, although her eyes were still fixed on the café's surroundings.

"I don't blame him. He is, after all, a busy man. But, while we were apart and I was at Hatori-sensei's… I'm ashamed to say this, but," and then she looked at Tohru straight in the eyes, "I must admit it. I forgot about him."

Tohru's breath caught in her throat but she still didn't speak. Kana looked away again.

"Oh, I did remember him, once in awhile, but it was not like it was before. You see, a month ago, I was in love with him, and I couldn't stop thinking about him."

Another pause as she seemed to collect her thoughts.

"I lost interest in planning our wedding, when back then, it was all I would do. When he called today and asked me to see him and I just realized all these things, I felt that I had betrayed him. So I told him I wasn't feeling well, because I couldn't bear all my guilty feelings."

She sipped her coffee and this time fixed her whole attention on Tohru.

"And when, as he left, he told me he loved me," a rueful smile crossed her face, "I couldn't say it back. I realized that… I was going to make him unhappy… Because… he loves me so much… and I can't love him back. Not anymore…"

"Kana-san," Tohru suddenly spoke, "I know it isn't any of my business… but… still… still… My mother once told me that, well, though it's important to make others feel happy… it isn't right to forget about your feeling, too… so… Kana-san… you're important, too. You also need to feel happy. You should go to the things that make you happy… so… so…"

"Honda-san," Kana said quietly, smiling at the teenager gently.

The girl looked up with a blush, "Yes?"

"You're really something special."

"Huh?"

Her smile widened at the girl's confusion, as she slowly felt her negative feelings draining away from her.

"Thank you."

"Yes, my mom is a great person!" she said delightedly then suddenly glanced at her watch, "Aiiie, I must go back and prepare dinner!"

She hastily picked up her shopping bags and turned to the older woman.

"Kana-san, thank you. I hope we get to talk again."

Kana watched her speed off, her usual smile now on her lips.

"I hope so, too, Honda-san."

oOo

Hatori glanced at the front door for the 97th time that afternoon.

His coffee had grown cold, he hadn't taken a single bite of the pastries Kazuya had served him, and he had read one particular page of his book a dozen times over, but if you asked him what the passage was about, he wouldn't have been able to tell you.

"Moron," he mutters to himself every time his eyes wander inexorably to the front door.

He would try concentrating on the novel he was reading, but then his eyes would find their way to the front door again.

He heaved a sigh of defeat, put the book down and removed his eyeglasses.

He was behaving badly out-of-character and he didn't even have enough dignity to be angry with himself.

But he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, either.

Somehow, waiting for Kana, even though she's coming back from a date with not-Hatori, feels so natural. Too natural.

Because actually, the moment Kana gave him that wave, that final smile and closed the door behind her those years ago, he had been waiting for her.

_Riiiiiiiing!_

He picked up the phone on the first ring, glad for the distraction from the direction his thoughts were taking.

"Hel—"

"Hatori-sensei!" Kana's overly bright voice jumped out at him, not even allowing him to finish his greeting, nor to get a word in.

"If you don't meet me at the park in exactly five minutes, I'm going to make Kazuya-san cook the way I do. You won't like that!"

_Click._

Hatori stared at the phone for a few seconds, shrugged, replaced the receiver and allowed himself a small chuckle.

oOo

He found her leaning on a post, her back turned to him, observing children at play.

He stepped beside her, not saying anything. She turned to see who it was.

"Hatori-sensei!" she turned to him with a bright smile on her face.

But this time, her smile couldn't mask the sadness in her eyes.

"Kana-san," he couldn't help asking, "did something happen?"

She averted her eyes, the smile still in place, and shook her head.

"Let's walk!" she invited enthusiastically, taking Hatori's hand and steering him in the direction of the boulevard.

They walked in silence, Kana seeming to be lost in thought and Hatori just being Hatori.

They passed a vending machine and Kana suddenly stopped.

"Ne, Hatori-sensei, since you were late for ten seconds, you have to buy me a drink!"

He gave her a surprised look.

"What? You thought I wasn't timing you?" she demanded.

A slight smile touched his lips and he shrugged, "What would you like?"

She turned away and started walking towards a nearby bench, "I don't know. Anything but café au lait."

She sat on the bench, watching the sunset. All traces of sadness were gone from her countenance.

As he walked towards her carrying two cans of lemon juice, he noticed, no, he was reminded, how the sunlight striking her hair made it glint like gold, and the light reflecting on her amber eyes made her look almost ethereal.

She turned to him then, and motioned him to sit beside her.

She took the juice, popped the can and took a sip.

She sighed contentedly to herself. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling glad. After all, she still felt until this moment that things weren't going right between her and Shinbo. But she couldn't help it, she wasn't feeling guilty at all; she felt free. And safe.

She turned to Hatori, who was gazing at the sunset as well. She looked at his handsome profile and couldn't help but smile. She realized she was just taking Tohru's advice.

"Hatori-sensei," she said in a voice that was almost inaudible.

Hatori turned to her. On impulse, she reached for his hand. She felt it stiffen in her grasp, but then suddenly relaxed. A slight smile formed on his lips as well.

"I'm happy," she said as she looked up at the young man, "This moment… makes me happy."

_To be continued…_


	5. Ikalimang Kabanata

**Disclaimer: **Fruits Basket, the Souma Clan and Honda Tohru all belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama. I live only to glorify Furuba.

**Ore no Haru**

_Ikalimang Kabanata_

_By hitokiri-tomoe_

It was almost dinnertime and Souma Yuki was walking home. He had just been to a meeting with the whole student council and his nerves were shot.

He had meant to tell Makoto that afternoon that he was no longer volunteering. After all, the number of volunteers has increased, so he felt that his quitting won't make any difference. When he told the President his intentions, he never expected that the older guy would bawl in front of him, causing the other members to rush in and see what was happening. Makoto begged him on hands and knees—literally—to stay. He told him that if he quit, the rest of the volunteers—male and female alike—would quit, too. He didn't know what to make of that. Nevertheless, he didn't want to take responsibility for other people's quitting, even if he didn't believe he would be the reason, and with the President wrapping his arms around his leg and soaking the leg of his pants with tears, he knew he couldn't quit. Yet.

But the moment he stepped into the meeting, he wished he just ran away the moment Makoto's lips began to quiver. He almost had a heart attack trying to avoid contact with the female volunteers. And there were so many. He hid himself among the boys, but that didn't stop the females' predatory eyes to fix on him all through the meeting. It didn't help that the boys kept commenting on how pretty he was. He almost smacked someone. He was perfectly alright when he went out of the room, though, but he knew that if every meeting went on the way this one did, he was done for. Fortunately, the student council members rescued him by announcing that there would be a screening for new volunteers.

He heaved a sigh of relief as he finally came within sight of his older cousin's house.

_Finally. Peace and quiet._

"I'll kill you!" the cat's voice suddenly exploded from the house, followed by Shigure's loud snickering.

_Well, not quite._

He opened the front door and stepped inside the brightly lit house.

"I'm ba—huh?" he stopped when he saw the people in the room.

Kyou was standing, his crimson eyes flaring, looking ready to attack a sniggering Shigure. A very composed Hatori was sitting at the common room table, smoking.

"I thought you've stopped running away," he addressed the doctor.

"Welcome back, Yuki-kun!" Shigure greeted him cheerfully.

Kyou just sat back down with a huff.

"Yuki-kun," an apron-clad Tohru stepped out from the kitchen, "You're back!"

"Honda-san," he answered in acknowledgement.

"And just in time for dinner, too," a vaguely familiar voice said from behind Tohru.

The owner of the voice stepped out with a dish in her hands. Amber eyes smiled at him.

"Nice to meet you, Yuki-kun," she said with a smile.

He looked at a face he'd seen a thousand times before, smiling in a photograph.

"Kana-san," he bowed.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to introduce myself last time," she said cheerfully.

"Ha-san and Kana-san went to visit and now Kana-san's cooking dinner for all of us," Shigure gushed, "They're so wonderful!"

"I'm doing it with Tohru-kun's help, though!" she said in a shy tone as she set down the dish she was carrying and started setting the table.

"I didn't do anything, really!" Tohru protested quickly.

"Ne, Kana-san is learning how to cook to be a good wife," Shigure said with utmost feeling, giving his childhood friend a pointed look.

Hatori crushed his cigarette, "Well, she is going to get married."

The remark was greeted with silence from everyone in the room, including Kana.

"Ano!" Tohru broke the silence bravely, "let's eat!"

oOo

Yuki tried hard to concentrate on his dinner, but he couldn't help looking at the couple sitting across from him.

_When did this happen?_

_When had Hatori learned to look so gently at anyone? When did he allow himself to smile so easily like that? When did he learn to drop his icy exterior?_

He glanced around the table and noticed that Shigure was also observing the couple, a pleased expression on his face.

But they were oblivious to everybody's glances. Their eyes were only for each other.

_You had to be blind or be Kyou not to notice it._

He shook his head, clearing it.

Of course, he knew that Hatori never stopped loving Kana. That photograph in his clinic is only a small proof of that.

_But…_

He glanced around and met Shigure's eyes. The same question was in his deep brown eyes.

_When did Kana start loving him, too?_

oOo

"Make sure to come back again!" Tohru called as Kana waved goodbye to the people in Shigure's house.

She got in the car with Hatori.

"Ah! That was fun!" she exclaimed as the doctor started the engine and started for home.

They passed the first few minutes in silence, but Kana kept stealing glances at him.

"Ne… Hatori-sensei" she finally said.

"Mmm?" he murmured, his eyes on the road.

"How did… how did you injure your left eye?" she said timidly, immediately bowing her head after asking the question. She feared she might have stepped over the line again.

A few seconds passed and Kana didn't even dare look up.

"I had an accident."

Kana still had her head bowed. He sighed and decided to be honest.

"I was in love with… with someone. We got into an accident. It was nobody's fault. Still… she left me after that. She's forgotten about me now."

He stole a quick glance at the woman bowed in the passenger seat. She still wasn't saying anything. Then he heard a sob escape his companion.

"Kana?" he pulled the minivan over and put his hands on his companion's shoulders. Neither of them noticed the drop in honorific.

Kana looked up with tears in her eyes.

"I'm alright," she said through her tears, wiping at her face with her hands.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a voice full of concern, almost giving in to the temptation of taking her in his arms.

"I… I don't know," she sniffled, "I… I was just so surprised that you actually answered my question, but then… your answer made me sad as well."

She took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. Then she smiled at him.

"I'm alright. Really. You can drive now."

He gave her one last look before starting the car. They cruised through the road again.

"Hatori-sensei," she said after a few minutes, her tears all dried up.

"Yes?"

"I was surprised to discover that you were once in love."

He didn't say anything, and concentrated on the road.

"That woman… shouldn't have left someone as kind as Hatori-sensei," she said in a half-whisper.

Hatori almost hit the brakes but stopped himself just in time.

"Even if… that woman… may have been the cause of Hatori-sensei's losing his sight in one eye," she continued still in that half-whisper, her eyes gazing at the road ahead.

"Still… Hatori doesn't deserve to be abandoned."

He realized his hands were trembling as he clutched the steering wheel tightly.

"Hatori-sensei… doesn't deserve to be forgotten."

oOo

It was a busy day at the clinic. All of the children seemed to have taken it as their own personal mission to scrape their knees, wound themselves or just fall off something.

Fortunately, there were no serious cases, and although there was a lot of work, it was light.

_Riiiiiing._

"I'll get it!" Kana called as she placed a new package of cotton on the counter.

_Riiiiiiiiiiiing._

"Hello?"

"Kana!"

Kana frowned, "Mom?"

"I called at Hatori-san's, but the one who answered told me you were here."

"Mom, how are you?"

"It's you I'm worried about! It's three weeks before your wedding, and you haven't even decided on anything yet! I don't know what to say to Minekuwara-san! Shinbo's busy so it's understandable, but I expected a lot more from you!"

"But," she protested in a small voice, "I've been working, too…"

"Your work's light, compared to Shinbo's. You aren't a doctor."

She sighed, "Yes, Mom."

"What do you mean, 'yes, Mom'?"

"I'm going to call Shinbo," a lump formed in her throat, "and discuss our wedding plans with him."

"That's good! You better do it now. I'm sure Hatori-san wouldn't mind you taking the day off."

"Yes mom," she said quietly, and replaced the receiver.

She leaned back on the counter and looked at Hatori, who was still busy dressing the wounds of a small child who was taking all of it bravely.

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath.

_You really did forget about your wedding, didn't you?_

She covered her face with her hands, trying to breathe deeply, but the lump in her throat was choking her.

_Honda-san told me to go where I would be happy. But where is that?_

She looked up and saw the doctor, and remembered what she told him last night.

_Hatori-sensei… doesn't deserve to be abandoned._

Her decision made for her, she picked up the phone and started dialing.

_Shinbo… doesn't deserve to be abandoned, either._

A man's voice answered the phone on the other line.

"Shinbo? Can you meet up with me now?"

oOo

"So I was thinking that it would be better if the band performers were situated at the right. The invitations are going to be wrapped—what?"

She stopped talking when she saw that her fiancé was staring at her. He had a contented smile on his face.

They were in the same café as before, at the same table with three bridal magazines spread out before them. He had ordered café au lait for both of them but Kana didn't event touch hers. She had asked for lemon juice instead and was now taking a sip, as she waited for Shinbo to answer.

"Honestly," he finally said, a serious expression on his face, "I was having doubts."

Her gaze didn't even shift.

"I thought you'd call the whole thing off…"

She barely heard him, though what he said did manage to register into a small part of her brain.

_I wonder if Hatori-sensei has gone home by now. Or maybe there were a lot more kids needing help today. There might even have been something serious that's happened._

"Kana?"

She suddenly remembered that she had somebody else with her. She shook her head to clear it.

"I'm sorry. Where was I?"

"Invitations," he answered promptly.

But he had waved her so casually away when she told him she was going out with Shinbo. But Hatori might need her—

"Kana," a gentle voice broke into her thoughts, "Look, if you're tired we can talk about this later. You shouldn't be pushing yourself like this."

She found herself gripping the edge of the table and standing up without thinking.

"You're right," the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Huh?" Shinbo stood up as well, concern etched on his face.

"No, I'm sorry," she looked up at him then, her eyes pleading, "You're right. There will be no wedding."

Her words seemed to suck out Shinbo's strength. He sank on the chair, his face uncomprehending.

"Forgive me," she said as she frantically reached for her bag, "Please."

She ran out of the café.

oOo

She went home in a dazed walk.

Somehow she had lost track of what was truly happening, so that now she felt like she'd been hit by a train.

She didn't know why she doubted everything now.

She didn't know why she broke up her engagement.

She didn't know why she was going home in a dazed walk.

The only thing she could think of clearly was that when she gets home, Hatori would be waiting, and somehow, everything would be alright.

She didn't know why she thought that, either.

She came in sight of the house and saw a lone figure sitting on the porch steps, apparently waiting.

He looked up when he heard her approach the steps.

His smile didn't quite reach his eyes, "Kana-san, I was waiting for you."

"Akito… san?"

He stood up and dusted himself off before motioning to the house, "There's no one there. Hatori must still be at the clinic."

She started towards the direction of the clinic.

"Kana-san," he called quietly.

She turned back to him, suddenly realizing she was being rude. She immediately bowed to him, hoping to make amends.

"I came here to invite you… to talk to me," he said, moving a step closer to her, "Would you… do me the honor?"

She nodded at that, feeling she had no choice.

"There's someone there who might want to see you as well," he whispered as he turned towards the main house.

oOo

He walked up to the man sitting on the bench.

He had his back turned to him, but he knew he was the one. This is the meeting place. And this is him.

"Minekuwara Shinbo," he called to the man.

The man had a can of beer in one hand. He turned to him.

"Hatori-san. I'm glad you could make it on such short notice."

He motioned the newcomer to sit, and Hatori did so.

They sat in silence, Shinbo looking pensive as he nursed the beer to his head, Hatori wondering where Kana is and what this is all about.

He had just finished for the day when the call came. Minekuwara Shinbo had wanted to meet up with him. Although a lot of questions formed in his mind, he had agreed.

_He's probably just going to invite me to his wedding since Kana hadn't said a word about it._

"You don't look impressive at all," Kana's fiancé suddenly spat, throwing the now empty beer can on the street.

Hatori slowly turned to him, allowing a look of confusion to slowly creep into his face.

"Excuse me?"

Shinbo looked at him for a minute then laughed. It wasn't a pretty laugh. It was the laugh of someone who was in great pain and was trying to hide it but was failing miserably.

"Look, I don't know what happened between you and Kana—"

"I don't understand—"

"No, let me speak first. If you interrupt me, I might not be able to say what I need to say. I might just sock you in the face instead."

Hatori was silent for a moment. Then he nodded.

"You see… I wasn't sure if Kana loved me. Well, I know there was a time when she was in love with me, but it wasn't the same. I didn't know if the passion would last, but now I know the answer…

"When I met her, she struck me as a cheerful person, but with a sadness inside. Through our courtship, there was that unfathomable sadness inside of her, and I couldn't reach it. I'm not even sure if she was aware of it, herself. But it was always there, like a partial mist, so that I never really felt that I completely knew her.

"But I loved her anyway. I love her. When I asked her to marry me and she agreed, I was very surprised. And pleased. Although I still wasn't sure if she loved me. Turns out I really had reason to doubt."

He paused for a long while, as though not sure how to say what he was going to say next.

"I don't know what happened while she was living with you. But when I saw her again, she had changed. There was no underlying sadness about her. But it was replaced by something else. Something I can't even put a name to. Well, the feeling wasn't entirely good, wasn't entirely bad either.

"I told you I don't know what happened, but… whatever changed her, you seem to have had something to do with it. She seemed to have come to terms with her emotions. Towards me, at least. Now we both know that she doesn't love me."

He stood up then and faced Hatori, his face serious.

"So, I'm giving her up. And I'm entrusting her to you. I think…" he smiled bitterly, "you're the only person who can be of help to her now. God knows it isn't me."

He extended a hand to Hatori.

Hatori stood up and took it.

They shook hands, almost-identical solemn looks on their faces.

"When you see her after this," Shinbo said, "don't mention anything about this meeting."

Hatori looked at him. He didn't smile, and there was understanding in his face,

"Now," Shinbo continued, suddenly looking very tired, "I think… I think I'm gonna go get drunk."

He walked away, leaving a pensive Hatori to reflect on all the things he said.

oOo

"Please, Kana-san, don't let your tea get cold," Akito slowly said in a quiet voice.

Kana had only been staring at her tea, trying to figure out why she was feeling such dread in her heart.

She looked up then, and offered the Master of the House a weak smile. She stretched out her hand for the tea—and realized they were trembling. But it was too late. Akito had noticed. A smile, faint and haughty, formed on his lips.

"You're trembling," he said in a concerned voice not belonging to his expression at all, "What's the matter?"

She tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. She bowed her head.

_Why am I so afraid?_

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he clucked his tongue slowly, deliberately.

"Is Kana… getting the jitters?" he asked in a voice laced with ice.

She caught her breath. Her hands fell, palms open, on the floor.

_That tone. I've heard it before._

But it was impossible. Akito had never used that tone with her. Until now.

He placed one cold finger on Kana's chin, and forced her to look at him. His eyes were menacing, a condescending smile was on his lips.

"Are you… scared?" he whispered.

Kana drew back so violently that she landed on the floor. She hastily went back to kneeling position.

Akito stood up, a low hard laugh escaping his lips.

"But why would Kana be afraid?" he asked innocently, as if only asking about the weather.

She closed her eyes. Images floated before her.

_Hatori… kneeling in this same room…_

"Does Kana…"

_Glass breaking…_

"Remember something?"

_Blood…_

She opened her eyes. The onslaught of images didn't stop. They were there right before her eyes, in full color. Now she could hear sounds as well.

_"We're planning to get married."_

_"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"_

She covered her ears.

"Stop!" she screamed, hoping to block out the sounds and the images, but they just floated relentlessly in front of her, disturbing images of things she thought she didn't know, but deep down inside she knew were memories. She was breathing rapidly now, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"So I was right," she heard Akito say contemptuously.

But the images weren't stopping, the conversations weren't stopping.

"Little Kana remembers everything," there was hatred in his voice.

_Their breakfasts together…_

"She remembers… Or maybe she knew all along?"

_Blood… Hatori's blood, as he knelt there, a hand clamped over his eye._

"Hatori was incompetent."

_"Tell me… what does snow become when it melts?"_

"Hatori… disobeyed me."

_"It becomes water, of course."_

"Hatori has been a very bad boy."

_"Bzzzzt. It becomes spring!"_

"He believed he could still be happy if you remember."

_Akito's hand, violently sweeping the vase off the table._

"But he can't..."

_The kiss…_

"He can't be happy."

_"For your information, if you dump a real seahorse in bathtub water, it will probably die."_

"You know why?"

_Hatori's face as they knelt in that dark room. She heard herself crying._

"Because of you."

_The blood spilling out of Hatori's left eye…_

"You're the one who's making him unhappy."

_"I'm sorry… I couldn't protect us…"_

"This is all your fault."

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

She reeled as she felt Akito's hand connect with her cheek in a hard slap.

She fell on her back, still sobbing, still being haunted by the memories that Hatori made her forget.

Then with sudden gentleness, he took her hand and helped her up to a kneeling position. He sat in front of her, his fingers gently tracing her flaming cheek. She was too numb in body to flinch at the contact. She knelt there, staring at him though tear-drenched eyes, her mouth slightly open. Now and then sobs escaped her lips but she didn't notice.

"There, there," he whispered gently, all menace gone from him for the moment.

Then he got up and paced the room, now and then glancing at the woman who was kneeling on the floor, her small frame trembling.

A minute passed.

And then the recollections stopped.

Kana stopped sobbing, and looked up only to find herself looking at Akito's baleful, violent eyes.

He took a look at her eyes then suddenly sat on the floor with a thud. He seemed irritated about something.

"You love him," he spat, venom dripping with every word.

Her heart stopped at the statement.

"I've seen that look in your eyes before," he said spitefully, "you still want to be with Hatori!"

His eyes narrowed. He stood up and bent over her.

"You don't deserve to love him," he pronounced coldly, laying emphasis on each word, "You hurt him! You're the reason he's blind!"

Kana visibly drew back, her face contorted in despair and helplessness.

"It's your fault he's sad, to begin with! It's your fault!" he screamed.

"No… Please…" she whispered feebly, the tears starting anew.

"No! What? You don't want to hear the truth?" he screamed at her, grabbing hold of her shoulders and shaking her.

"Akito!" a man suddenly stepped out of the shadows, his hands shaking at his sides.

Akito let go of Kana and allowed himself a smile. The woman sank to the floor, sobbing.

"Shigure. I was wondering when you'd come to try and save this pathetic girl."

"Kana," Shigure said in a commanding tone, "Go home. Get away from here."

Kana, as though just waiting for that exact command, stood up slowly.

"Goddamn it!" Shigure almost shouted, "Run!"

Kana only looked at him and started for the door. Only when she was out of the threshold did she obey Shigure's latest command.

Akito laughed as he observed the whole thing.

Shigure turned to him then, his hands still shaking, an angry glint in his eyes. He did not speak.

"So you see now, Shigure?" he said with a disapproving smile, "I was right. Hatori did disobey me. He didn't make that woman forget enough."

Shigure was still silent, but his jaw had hardened.

"I told him to erase Kana's memories, but he defied me. Me! I wanted only what was good for him. I wanted to make him happy, but he…"

He trailed off as he stepped closer to Shigure and put a hand on his shoulder.

"He thought if he acted for himself, he could be happy," he drawled in a slow whisper, "But he of all people should know…"

He stroke Shigure's hair.

"That his happiness… all of your happiness…"

He brought his face closer to Shigure's.

"Solely depend on me."

He kissed Shigure gently on the lips.

Suddenly, Shigure pushed Akito away, sending him sprawling on the floor.

He rushed out of the room.

oOo

Hatori stopped when he saw that Shigure was standing in his way to the front door of his house.

"What—"

But before he could finish his sentence, he felt blinding pain on the side of his face. He fell to the ground with a painful thud.

"I thought Ayame was the dumb one," his childhood friend's voice had taken on an uncharacteristic gravity.

He put his hands on his left cheek. Already he could feel it getting swollen. He had punched him under the left eye, where most of the damage would be hidden by his bangs. He groaned.

"Damn it, Hatori, stand up!" came Shigure's angry voice, "Have you never been punched before?"

Hatori stood up and faced his cousin. There was nothing comical about the way he looked now.

"I never thought you could do this. I never thought you'd do something so low. You never even told us you did it. Why did you keep such a secret from us?" his voice had grown louder as he spoke.

"What are you talking about?" he finally managed to ask through the frenzy of pain his cheek sent through his brain.

"The hypnosis," he answered, suddenly exasperated, "Don't lie to me now! I know the truth."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Damn it, I told you not to lie to me. Or maybe you really were just too distracted to do a proper job of it."

"Of what?"

"The hypnosis! The one you didn't do to Kana!"

His eyes widened at that, but he didn't say anything.

"What?"

He adjusted his glasses. "I did do the hypnosis to Kana. If I didn't do it, would I be torturing myself this way when I can just go to her anytime? If I didn't do it, do you think Kana would have been happy? She was in pain. I had to make her forget. I did my job."

Shigure searched his eyes.

"You aren't… lying to me?"

"Why would I lie to you? Have I ever lied to you?" Hatori responded in an irritated voice, massaging his cheek.

"Good point."

They stood in silence for awhile, Shigure debating with himself about how to break the news. He finally decided he had to be direct about it.

"Okay. I believe you. But… Kana remembers, you know. She remembered this afternoon."

That seemed to be another blow to Hatori. He suddenly knelt down.

"Oh, damn," Shigure muttered to himself before shouting, "Hey, get up, she needs you. She's crying. Akito abused her verbally. Ha-san?"

Hatori looked up at that. For the moment, he couldn't trust himself to stand.

"She had that look," the Dog said quietly, "That look from back then… blaming herself. Before you erased her memories and she was crying all the time… it was the same look."

Hatori suddenly stood up. He needed to save her. He wasn't able to save here then, and he wasn't going to waste his chance now.

"She's inside. Now go," Shigure suddenly smiled at him, "I still want your happy ending."

oOo

He entered the house and immediately saw her.

She was lugging the last of her luggage down the stairs. She had not changed her clothes, they were all wrinkled and her eyes were still red and puffy from crying.

Kazuya wasn't around. They were the only ones in the house.

Hatori watched silently as she put the bags with the rest of the luggage. She had apparently not noticed his entrance.

She straightened up her clothes, took a comb from her bag and began combing her honey-blond Akito-tangled hair.

He couldn't take it any longer. He took a step towards her.

"What are you doing?" he asked slowly.

The comb dropped to the ground.

"Hatori?"

Before he could react, Kana was on him, and she had already put her arms around him in a possessive hug.

_Poof!_

_To be concluded… _


	6. Huling Kabanata

**Disclaimer: **Fruits Basket, the Souma Clan and Honda Tohru all belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama. I live only to glorify Furuba.

**Ore no Haru**

_Huling Kabanata_

_By hitokiri-tomoe_

When he came to, he was lying on his bed, a comforter over him. He sat up, and the covers fell away from hi naked torso. He realized he wasn't even clothed at all.

"I dumped you in the bathtub, since you aren't really a seahorse," Kana's quiet voice sounded on his right. He turned to her.

She was sitting on his desk chair, a pensive expression on her face. She had changed her clothes and looked very neat now. She was looking at a photograph in a picture frame. It was, he recalled, her photo. He had transferred it from the clinic the first day she came.

"H… how long was I out?"

She shrugged and stood up, still clutching the picture frame in her hand, "About an hour."

Then she sighed, "Why do you always have to pass out when you transform?"

The exasperation in her voice made him smile.

She slowly walked towards him.

"But I kinda like it," she said in a low voice as she neared Hatori.

She brought her face closer to his, dropping the frame on the bed, her fingers tracing his hair. Hatori started backing away but her free hand caught his arm.

"It's the only time I see you helpless," she whispered, "and the only time I see other things, too."

She got up suddenly and brushed imaginary dust off her shoulder, while Hatori felt his face growing hot.

She laughed suddenly, and picked up the picture frame. Then she started towards the door.

"Go get yourself dressed," she told him.

As she was about to shut the door, she turned to him, a serious and resigned look in her face.

"I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

oOo

When he went down, fully dressed, he saw that her whole mood had changed.

She sat at the dining table, with the picture frame propped up in front of her. She gazed at it with sometimes melancholic, sometimes angry eyes.

She looked up as he approached and didn't even try to smile.

"I sent Kazuya-san away for the evening," she said by way of explanation for their being alone.

He didn't say anything, but just stood there looking at the woman he loved, wondering why he wasn't feeling happy at this very moment, when all should have been clear, when events were driving so straight to a happy ending. He looked at the woman he loved, whose expression seemed to be mirroring all his feelings, all the confusion, all the sadness.

"How I must have hurt you," she said in the silence that followed her earlier statement.

She pushed the picture frame, face down, on the table and stood up.

"How I must be hurting you now," she took one step towards him, but hesitated to take another.

She bit her lip and sighed, "How I must have been hurting you these past weeks, torturing you with memories."

And then she laughed bitterly. Hatori could only look at her.

"You must really hate me. Choosing to forget you so that I may live happily. Coming into your life a second time without a clue of what happened in the past. Living with you here as if nothing was wrong."

Her voice and her lower lip trembled, "I know I deserve it. To be hated. I'm only thankful that you weren't so obvious about it. But it's okay now… I remember… God, do I remember. While I was at the Main House I kept wishing that it wasn't true, that Akito-san was hypnotizing me or something… But when you came… And I hugged you. I realized it was all true. And I was such… a bitch… for even coming here, for imposing on you.

"All this time… all this time… I've been hurting you… I've been so hypocritical," the tears started to drop from her amber eyes, "I told you that the woman who hurt you shouldn't have left you. That was such an irony! I am such a hypocrite! But Hatori…"

Here she took another step towards him.

"When I told you you didn't deserve to be abandoned… I was telling the truth."

She paused, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"But then, you don't deserve to be abandoned by someone who is worthy of you. I left you then, Hatori. I forgot you. I don't deserve you. I deserve only your hate."

She bowed her head. He took a half-step towards her, but then, hesitated, confusion overpowering him. Where was his happy ending? Didn't Kana love him?

_No, she doesn't_, he thought bitterly. _She only feels remorse for you. She only wants to say sorry._

Kana looked up then, and said quietly, "Hatori… Can I… touch you?"

He looked her in the eye, feeling more and more confused by the second.

_Why? Why was she asking this? Doesn't she know it might break me to touch her now?_

He nodded.

She closed the distance between them, and reached up a hand to his left eye, and caressed his cheek.

"Back then," she whispered, "Before forgetting… I loved you. I remember that well. You… you loved me then, too, right?"

He nodded, still unable to speak.

She smiled gently, truly, at that.

"That's enough for me. That's enough for me to go on."

She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. She turned away and picked up her luggages which were still lying on the floor.

"Kana," Hatori suddenly spoke.

She turned back.

"Is this what you want?" he asked quietly, pleadingly, as if she would be able to hear all the important questions and feelings that were hiding behind those five words.

"Do you mean, do I want to forget you again?"

"No, that's not—"

"No, Hatori. I don't want to forget again. I was weak that time. I want to be stronger now. I want to remember those happy times. I want to remember that a long time ago, you did love me."

She walked out the door.

It was only then that he realized he was crying.

oOo

"Well, now, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

"Aya, you shouldn't go picking up attached girls! And with a pick-up line that bad!"

"Ahahahaha! You're right, Momiji-kun!"

Kana paused as she looked at the two people in front of her. Jolts of recollection passed through her brain.

"Ayame-san," she bowed to the older man who had silver-streaked light gray hair and yellow snake-like eyes.

"Momiji-kun," she smiled at the foreign-looking boy with blond hair and amber eyes.

"Oh, she does remember, doesn't she, Gure-chan?" Ayame turned to Shigure, who was standing at the back, hidden from Kana's immediate view.

Shigure nodded his head vigorously and Momiji jumped up and down excitedly.

"But what's this?" Ayame declared dramatically, "She's walking out! Walking out on Tori-san!"

"Just as we expected," Shigure declared with a woeful expression.

"Oh, I knew it! Tori-san is no expert on manly romance!" Ayame buried his face in his hands, "We should have guided him, Gure-chan! We should have!"

"If only we taught him before, he wouldn't have let Kana-san step out the door!" Shigure murmured, his own tears pouring down his cheeks.

"If I know Gure-chan, he must have even helped Kana-san pack!" Ayame put the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically.

Momiji watched the two older men with a huge grin. He was apparently enjoying the spectacle.

"Ano, Ayame-san, Shigure-san, Momiji-kun, I must—"

Then Momiji suddenly took notice of her, and with his huge grin still in place, he took Kana's bags from her and set them on the ground.

"So there is only one thing we, as Tori-san's bestest friends in the world, should do, Gure-chan," Ayame boomed seriously, producing a coil of rope from his pocket.

"Yes, only one thing, Aya-chan." Shigure matched the seriousness in his friend's voice, and took out a roll of adhesive tape.

The two men faced each other, and as one, gave each other the thumbs up sign.

"Yosh!" they said in unison, then turned towards Hatori's house.

"Ano! Wait!" Kana cried out in genuine alarm, "What are you doing?"

She turned to run after them, but Momiji's suddenly quiet voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Do you know, when you left that last time, Hatori was awfully sad."

She turned to him. He was sitting on one of her bags, a faraway look in his eyes, the sunlight glinting in his hair.

"He cried. I don't think Hatori had ever cried about anything before that."

He looked at her then, as if to see if she was listening. There was really no need. Kana was rooted to the ground. Then he fixed his gaze somewhere far away again and continued.

"I don't think Hatori had ever loved anyone as much as that. He desired only your happiness, even if it hurt him. That's why he made you forget… Because… he wanted you to be happy. Because he knew it was the only way to save you."

He turned back to her, and gave her a sad smile.

"I haven't seen Hatori since Kana came back. But I imagine he's very happy. Because… he can be with you again, for a few moments, even though you don't remember anything. Even though you didn't love him anymore… I think he's happy just being around you. Even though I know he may not have been able to show it. Hatori… is poor in that department. Showing affection."

"Momiji-kun…" she whispered, but she might as well have not spoken.

"Hatori… he loved you so much… and he's never stopped loving you. Everyone can see that. Why do you think he kept a picture of you in a place where he'll always be seeing it, where he'll always be reminded? I think it's because though you've forgotten, though the memory hurts him, he wants to remember. He wants to be reminded every day of how much he loves you, of—"

Kana couldn't take it anymore. She turned away and ran towards Hatori's house. When she reached the stairs leading to the porch, Hatori emerged from the doorway, apparently in a hurry himself. Kana took a step back. Hatori closed the distance between them. They stood there, looking at each other, their bodies only inches from each other.

Ayame and Shigure emerged from the doorway as Momiji reached the house, bounding as happy as a bunny.

"Good work!" he shouted to his two cousins.

"Oh, it wasn't hard," Shigure said modestly, flicking imaginary dust off his kimono, "When we came in he was staring at Kana-chan's picture, looking like a lost seahorse."

"What did you do? What did you do?" Momiji asked, excitement dripping with every word.

"I told him we were going to take Kana-chan away from him if he didn't act now," Ayame announced grandly.

"Wah, tell me the truth!" the Rabbit admonished cheerfully.

The three suddenly chanced to glance at the couple, who were still standing there, staring into each other's eyes as if no one but the two of them existed.

Ayame rolled his eyes, "Tori-san, say something!"

Hatori reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair from Kana's face. Then suddenly, he took her hand and ran, pulling her along.

The three watched them, sweat drops forming on their foreheads.

"Well?" Momiji asked, "Shall we follow them?"

"Of course!" Shigure answered promptly, "We have to see this through 'til the end!"

"And we still have to gather everyone," Ayame quipped, "Everybody must be present for 'that'!"

"Yes, 'that'!" Momiji shouted gaily.

oOo

They were both kneeling in the dark room, where years before, Akito accidentally blinded Hatori and made Kana blame herself.

Kana was trembling all over. Hatori reached out and squeezed her hand.

Akito was standing in front of them, his back turned.

"I'm defying you," Hatori said clearly, without any hint of fear.

Akito gave a small harsh laugh and turned to them, violet eyes flashing dangerously, "Are you asking for my permission?"

Hatori didn't say anything, and waited for the blow that was sure to come. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Kana. He was also preparing to defend her, in case the blow should be directed at her.

"Hatori…" Akito said in a singsong voice as he paced in front of them, "Why tell me you're disobeying me now, when you've already betrayed me… years ago."

He looked up, surprised. He had no idea what he was talking about.

He chuckled at the doctor's reaction, "Don't act so innocent now. I have proof. That… woman… beside you is proof."

He brought his face close to Hatori's and hissed, "You've disobeyed me before. And nobody—nobody—disobeys me."

He slapped Hatori hard. Kana screamed and ran to him.

"You're wrong," Hatori managed to say as he got up on his knees, "I didn't do it. I made her forget. I don't know what happened."

"Liar!" Akito shrieked, his whole being trembling.

"You did it on purpose," he spat, his chest heaving, "You made it so that Kana would remember again! Why?"

The menace in his voice was unmistakable.

"Did you think that you could be happy? You're wrong!"

He stepped towards the still kneeling Hatori, his face contorted in fury.

"No one's going to be happy! Because we're cursed!"

He stamped his foot now, like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Why? Can this girl break the curse? Can she!"

"No, I can't," Kana's small voice suddenly interrupted Akito's outburst.

Both men in the room suddenly turned to Kana. Akito gave her a half-crazed, half-murderous look.

"I can't break the curse," Kana continued quietly, "But… Akito-san, you're wrong… about happiness."

Akito took a menacing step towards her. Hatori immediately put himself between the two, giving Akito a defiant look.

"You aren't unhappy because of the curse."

Akito glared at Hatori but didn't say anything.

"You're unhappy… because… you choose to be. Because… you don't allow happiness to enter this dark room."

Akito laughed at that.

"You don't permit the things around you to bring you happiness. Look outside the window, Akito-san, do you not notice how beautiful the sky is? How beautiful the grass is, how the wind seem to caress the leaves so gently, as if it were its lover? Do you not notice how the flowers keep up their love affair with the birds, with the bees, with the butterflies? If only… If only you choose to be moved by these things, I'm sure… I'm sure you'd find a bit of happiness."

Akito was silent at that.

"But Hatori,"

Hatori turned towards her.

"Hatori chooses to be happy. Although the circumstances are unusual, it still makes Hatori choose happiness."

She slowly got to her feet and took a step past Hatori, towards Akito. And in front of the Master of the House, she got down on her knees, tears flowing down her face.

"So, please, allow Hatori to be happy."

Akito took a step back and for a full minute, did not say anything. Then he gave Kana a disdainful look.

"Disgusting girl," he pronounced, then turned his back on both of them.

"Leave. Both of you. Do whatever you want," he said in a harsh tone.

Kana looked up, about to thank him, but Hatori tapped her shoulder, and when she turned to face him, he shook his head.

She got to her feet, and together, they walked out the room.

oOo

When they emerged from the Main House, they found two people waiting for them, plus Hatori's minivan.

There were Ayame and Momiji, who both heaved a big sigh of relief when they emerged.

"You took a long time in there," Ayame said in a serious tone.

"What happened?" Momiji asked, looking from Kana to Hatori.

Their eyes met. They smiled at each other.

"Oh no," Ayame scratched his head, "They'll be looking like that for a long long time."

"It went well, didn't it?" Momiji bounded over to Ayame, "Or else they wouldn't be looking so lovey-dovey!"

From behind them, a car horn blared. Shigure waved from inside the minivan.

"Oh, it's time to go 'that'!" Ayame clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Yes, 'that'!" Momiji agreed, pulling Kana's hand as he ran for the minivan.

"'That'?" Hatori gave Ayame a distrustful look.

"You'll find out soon enough! It's a present from me and Gure-chan!" Ayame explained grandly.

"I wonder why I'm suddenly filled with foreboding."

"Ahahahahaha! Be nice, Tori-san!"

oOo

The minivan parked, somewhat clumsily, in front of a small garden restaurant.

Ayame and Shigure scuttled out and faced out from the steps to the entrance.

"Welcome!" they yelled in unison, arms outstretched, "To Kana-chan and Tori-san's pre-wedding!"

Kana and Hatori got out of the car, identical confused expressions on their faces.

"Come in! Come in!" Momiji called.

They held hands and entered the small restaurant.

They found everything in shades of peach and cream. There was wine on the table, and a small feast. Yuki, Kyou and Tohru were standing off to one side, now joined by Momiji.

Shigure cleared his throat, "Of course, this is just Part I of Kana-chan and Ha-san's Wedding Present!"

"I've already got everything figured out until Part 10!" Ayame gushed.

"Now for the Prenuptials! Gather around, children!"

The teenagers moved closer to the adults, and Shigure stepped in front of the couple.

"Do you, Souma Hatori," he began in all seriousness, "Promise to say yes when the minister asks you if you would take Souma Kana as your wife?"

"Half of the time I don't know what you guys are thinking."

Shigure turned to Ayame, who nodded.

"Coming from Tori-san, that's good enough," he whispered and Shigure turned to Kana.

"Do you, Souma Kana, promise to say yes when the minister asks you if you would take Souma Hatori as your husband?"

"And do you promise to let Souma Ayame, the greatest designer in the whole universe, design your wedding dress and everybody else's clothes on your wedding?" Ayame added, with tears glistening in his eyes.

"No at that, Ayame," Hatori stated.

"Yes," Kana said at the same time, looking solemn.

"Well now," Shigure declared, "I pronounce you betrothed. You may now… uh… hold the bride-to-be's hands."

"To preserve the solemnity of course," Ayame quipped, "To have you transform now would be anticlimactic."

Hatori didn't need to be told twice. He turned to Kana, and their eyes were only for each other.

Shigure and Ayame burst into tears.

Momiji hopped around, all hyper.

"It's so romantic!" Tohru gushed, "It must be wonderful, to have someone you love be so close to you, isn't it? Yuki-kun? Kyou-kun?"

The two boys looked at Tohru, then at each other, then away with a huff.

"I must admit," Ayame said through his tears, "This isn't nearly as exciting as my original plan to let Tori-san take Kana-chan away from her wedding and just running away!"

"But this is also so romantic!" Shigure said, blowing his nose, "I must write about this! It will be Kana-chan and Ha-san's Wedding Present Part 15!"

"Ahahaha! So you've already figured that far?"

"Of course! How about you!"

"I've already got 'til Part 22!"

"What! You must not beat me when it comes to Ha-san!"

"Ahahahahahahaha!"

oOo

The night breeze blew warmly into the open doors.

Souma Kana and Souma Hatori sat outside the clinic, a bottle of wine and two wine glasses between them.

"I must admit that was fun," Kana commented, her eyes sparkling.

"Those fools," Hatori muttered.

"Oh, lighten up!" Kana said cheerfully, "You should be used to them by now."

Hatori just turned to her and gave her a smile.

"That's it. You should smile more often."

They were silent for awhile, looking up as the stars continued to increase above them. The moon was absent tonight.

"Hatori…"

"Hmm…?"

"I'm sorry."

"I don't think this is the time for that now…"

"No… I meant… I'm sorry for earlier."

"What do you mean?"

"Earlier. I didn't tell you I love you. Even though I wanted to. I was… going to be a coward again. I was going to be silent about my feelings, and leave. I… didn't want to get hurt. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter."

"Huh?"

"Did you know… Kana, that your weakness was one of the things I love about you?"

She was silent.

"For me, it means that you still need someone to protect you… As long as you have that weakness, I can go on protecting you."

She sighed, "You always do know how to make me feel better."

He smiled. He can smile so easily now.

"Do you remember when I caught a cold during the summer?"

"Yes. You were the sorriest-looking thing in the clinic at that time."

"I know. I kept waiting for you to tell me how stupid it was to catch a cold during the summer, but you never did tell me that. I was so glad."

He shrugged.

"Hatori…"

He turned to her.

"I'm glad I remember now. I'm glad I remember everything, even those sad memories."

She took the wine bottle, unceremoniously popped the cork, and filled their wine glasses with it. She handed one glass to Hatori and lifted the other.

"Even though a lot of the memories hurt, even though it made me cry… I'm glad I remember. And I never want to forget ever again."

She stood up, pulling Hatori beside her, and raised her glass to the moonless sky. Hatori did the same.

"To memories!"

_Owari…_

**Author's Notes:**

It's actually one of my policies not to be writing too many Author's Notes, so I saved up until the last chapter of the story. After all, even real books have author notes, so I think this is legal.

Okay, first of all, I'm just gonna give a big fat "Thank You" to everyone who has taken the time to read this, and an even bigger "Thank You!" to those who actually took the time to submit a review and help me improve my writing, and the characterizations.

Ah, I'm so glad I'm finally done with this, and it's only going to need a few editions instead of hours and hours of debating what to do with the characters. I actually finished this whole story quite a long time ago, before I went on vacation but it just took me so long to get to encoding it. I actually made changes to the ending, just now. I just added the last scene today, the rest has been written a long time ago.

I was actually really playing with the idea of a sad ending for this fic, but nothing so extreme as character death. But then I figured that it had enough angst in it, so it should be given the right amount of pathos and happy scenes. I hope I balanced it well enough to most people's satisfaction.

And these are some answers and messages to those who were extremely kind enough to review (I really really appreciate it, guys, thank you so much. Although I still planned on finishing this story even if I didn't get a single review, I'm still glad I got this much feedback.):

Blushing Sigh – I'm sorry for making you proud so late. Lol. Life couldn't wait to catch up with me. You said the angsty vibe depressed you. It depressed me. Chapter 5 especially.

Julliane – Hm, well, I don't know where I was predictable, but then, it's because I'm the one who wrote it, that I can't know when it gets predictable because everything that happens in the story is pretty much predictable to me. I don't hate Shigure, honestly! I actually really really love him. It's just that it was soooo just in the atmosphere that Akito should kiss him. Lolielol. XD And actually, Shinbo really is kind, and add to that the fact that he was never really sure of Kana's love for him, so it made letting her go easier, because he truly did love Kana, and want her to be happy. Hm… was I unsuccessful in conveying that?

Hatori Obsesser – Thanks for reminding me that not everyone can speak Japanese. Hell, I can't even speak Japanese. ;

Jazze Al-Bhed-Girl – Yes, the chapters' names are in Filipino. shrugs Just a quirk.

Lonely Dream-lover – Hey, this one's angst, too. But with a happy ending. And lots of comic relief that I hope are actually funny.

Melai – Thankies. Coming from you, that means a lot.

Nica – Yes, he isn't that bad at all. I'm no Akito hater, by the way. He's actually just like everyone else in the Souma Clan. Misunderstood, haunted, unhappy.

Hatorifan, person, Lexi-Teniro and Purejoy – Thanks for reading!

Sakura Rider – Wrong. I couldn't do that, and I wasn't even tempted to, seeing that Kana remembers everything now, so she wouldn't say the same things.

MapleRose – I'm really flattered that you took the time to read and review my story. I'm so glad I got those kind of criticisms so I know where I'm going wrong and that stuff. When I started the fic, I was particularly looking for someone to correct me about the way they address each other, as I have forgotten already. I've also duly noted your other comments and suggestions and will set to work on correcting the parts where I screwed up. --; Again, thank you.

Okay, so that's it. I think this has gone on quite long enough. I thank you all for supporting this fanfiction, now I think I'm going to hibernate for awhile and write a fiction that has been bugging me for more than a month now. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed the hours pondering the plot and setting my mechanical pencil to paper. Ja ne!

hitokiri-tomoe x


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